Ed Townsend - New in Town and Glad to Be Here! (2020)

More 'Early Soul' from Jasmine this month! Before he became a respected songwriter and in-demand record producer during the 60s and 70s, the late Ed Townsend sought success as a singer in the Nat King Cole/Brook Benton mode. That he never quite reached the commercial heights of those great talents is a little inexplicable, to say the least.

Ed's singing career got underway, after a couple of false starts, when his recording of his own song (and future soul classic) 'For Your Love' placed high on the pop and R&B charts in 1958, immediately leading to the two albums paired for a first-ever UK CD reissue here by Jasmine.

'New In Town' and 'Glad To Be Here' both considerable style and class, with their choice of repertoire and the scintillating arrangements of the great Nelson Riddle. They were not huge sellers, but not through any fault of the singer, the songs or the consummate musicians under Riddle's direction. 60 years on we don't have to worry about any lack of chart action, and can enjoy these two superb albums on their many merits.

Ed moved into writing and production in the early 60s, working with such big names as Dionne Warwick, the Impressions and Marvin Gaye - for whom he came up with 'Let's Get It On'. If you want to know more about how Ed's musical journey would lead him to there, 'New In Town And Glad To Be Here' will take you where it all began for this important figure in black American music.